From Group to Team
by Katherine E. Frost
Summary: Rose's newly founded investigation group decides to take a night off. Per usual, they ignore one another's presences. Until Katherine, almost gets in trouble... (One Shot)


Rose sighed as he scanned the bar for his group. They could at least _try_ to get along. Sonya, the easiest to find, muttered under her breath by the stage as she quietly strummed her guitar. Alex appeared to be writing letters in between giving Alanda glares at a different table. Alanda herself leafed through one of Alex's books with a pen. (Rose had read one of her "corrected" books. It hadn't been all that bad.) Damon ignored his drink as he read a novel in what appeared to be Latin. Katherine, as always, was the hardest to find. Rose squinted as he sorted through the crowd. He tensed up once he spotted her at the bar.

A man seemed to be way too interested in Katherine. Not that the captain seemed to notice or care. Rose bet on "care" since she could pick a single threat out of a village over run with soldiers. It wasn't always the soldiers either; still, Rose highly doubted she had spent much time in bars without a mission.

Rose plastered a relieved look on his face as he zigzagged to Katherine.

"Hey, Kit Kat. I was wondering where you went. We've got a set in ten minutes." Please Katherine work with me.

Katherine flashed him a smile. "Sorry, Ty. I guess I lost track of time with Prince Charming."

"Well, you'd better hurry up. Song's getting worried." Rose did his best to sound impatient.

"Hey, Buddy let the girl stay if she wants too. She ain't got to sing if she don't want to." Rose quickly did some his psychiatric magic to figure out how to pacify the man.

"Man, she's my sister so if you don't mind…" Rose let his voice trail off.

Katherine got up and slung her arm around Rose's shoulders as if she did it every day. "S'all right. My little brother gets lost in a grocery store without me."

"Do not," Rose protested without thinking.

"Do too. Now come on." Katherine dragged Rose away from both the man and Sonya.

As they moved through the crowd Rose read the tension lines in Katherine's shoulders. So, close. Did she have to close up again already? Rose almost managed to prepare himself for when she whipped around.

"What were you thinking?" Katherine's eyes were wide and her voice a hiss. Funny, she's not mad, just confused.

"That you really didn't want to deal with him all night. We really should find Sonya she just might be able to get us a set."

"Are you insane?"

"Someone told me that if you make a cover, you follow through with it." Rose waited for her reaction. He didn't have to wait long. Katherine did the complete opposite of what he expected; she relaxed a little.

"You better be good at playing the piano." Katherine turned and headed back towards Sonya.

Rose looked after her in confusion. How did she even know that?

By the time Rose caught up with her Katherine and Sonya were already arguing.

"… No Katherine, it's not possible. I have a _solo_." Sonya had definitely mastered glaring.

"Sonya-"

"Creepy guy by the bar, see him?" Rose interrupted Katherine.

Sonya wrinkled her nose. "Blue hoody?"

"That's the one. He hit on Katherine." Rose tried to communicate the problem before Katherine picked it up.

Anger flared in Sonya's eyes. "You guys know Eyes Open by Taylor Swift?"

Katherine nodded slowly while Rose gave a thumbs-up.

"I'll talk to the manager." Sonya disappeared behind the curtains.

Katherine faced Rose with a raised eyebrow. "You do realize I have a brain right?"

Rose rolled his eyes. "Everyone does," suddenly, Rose realized what she was talking about. "Wait- you noticed that?"

Katherine nodded, "Yeah…"

Rose rubbed the back of his neck. "Why didn't you leave, then?" Katherine had officially entered into the realm beyond confusing.

Katherine shrugged. "Usually they go away."

Usually? They? Rose wished she would elaborate, but he highly doubted she would. "And if they don't?"

"Then I subdue them." Katherine said it like it wasn't unusual.

Before Rose could question her further Sonya reappeared.

"Katherine's lead singer, Rose, your on piano and I'm on guitar." Sonya handed Rose and Katherine music.

Katherine handed her the music back. "I got it memorized."

"Good we're on after the next set."

Katherine's eyes were closed when the song began.

_Everybody's waitin'_

_Everybody's watchin'_

_Even when your sleepin'_

_Keep your eyes open_

Katherine's eyes flew open. Something in the lyrics had struck a chord in her_. _Rose began to focus onto the lyrics realizing that this was Katherine's life.

_but now we've stepped into a_

_cruel world_

_where everyone stands and_

_keeps score_

Katherine's file had mentioned that she got started as a deep cover assassin.

_Every lesson forms a _

_New scar_

_They never thought you'd make it_

_this far_

_But turn around_

_Now they've surrounded you its_

_show down_

_And no one comes to save you now_

The next lyrics were what she had actually taught to the group.

_Keep your feet ready_

_Heart beat steady_

_Keep your eyes open_

_Keep your aim locked_

_Everybody's waitin'_

_For you to break down_

_Everybody's watchin' _

_To see the fall out_

The silence hung down around the group on the walk back to the base. Katherine slung her arm around Rose's shoulders again. "We should do that again sometime, bro."

Rose hid his surprise behind a joke. "Savin' your reckless life?" Rose remembered whom he was talking to a second too late.

Katherine cracked a smile. "Thanks, but no. Singin' together."

Rose took a deep breath before belting out "Singing in the rain singing in the rain. What a wonderful feeling I'm singing in the rain!"

"Rose, its not raining!" Sonya yelled over him.

Katherine squirted her with a water bottle. "Yes it is!"

"Not once the water bottle runs out," Damon pointed out.

Alanda joined in. "Then we find a sprinkler."

"Or we could set off a fire alarm." Alex sounded so serious that the whole team began to laugh.

Credits: the lyrics of "Eyes Open" by Taylor Swift belong to their respective owner


End file.
